U.S. patent application number 10/969455 was filed with the patent office on 2005-04-21 for smart shadowless illumination system.
Invention is credited to Filep, Zoltan.
Application Number | 20050083697 10/969455 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34526760 |
Filed Date | 2005-04-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050083697 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Filep, Zoltan |
April 21, 2005 |
Smart shadowless illumination system
Abstract
What is new in this invention, it is the complete automation of
the light assembly positioning or selection. Using sensors and
robotics, human intervention became completely unnecessary. Once
the system installed and optimized, human intervention is
unnecessary and the system is working independently. The system is
sensing the possibility of appearance of shadow for a
well-determined area and it is taking measures to avoid it.
Inventors: |
Filep, Zoltan; (Turlock,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ZOLTAN FILEP
300 WILEY CT.
TURLOCK
CA
95380
US
|
Family ID: |
34526760 |
Appl. No.: |
10/969455 |
Filed: |
October 20, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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60512705 |
Oct 21, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
362/285 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F21V 21/15 20130101;
F21V 21/34 20130101; Y02B 20/40 20130101; F21V 23/0442 20130101;
F21W 2131/205 20130101; A61B 90/30 20160201; H05B 47/17 20200101;
F21W 2131/202 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
362/285 |
International
Class: |
F21V 001/00 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A room lighting system for shadowless illumination comprising: a
targeted illumination area in a room; a rail/arm assembly mounted
in a room; a singular light assembly or a plurality of light
assemblies mounted on said rail; a control system to control said
light assemblies.
2. A lighting system according to claim 1 wherein: said targeted
illumination area is marked directly with an emitter installed in
close proximity; or said targeted illumination area is marked
indirectly with a reflected coded or un-coded information
vector.
3. A lighting system according to claim 1 wherein: said rail/arm
assembly is equidistant to said targeted illumination area as
center.
4. A lighting system according to claim 1 wherein: said plurality
of light assemblies are mounted rigidly on said rail all being
directed towards and focused on said targeted illumination
area.
5. A lighting system according to claim 1 wherein: said singular
light assembly is mounted on a carriage rolling on said rail being
directed towards and focused on said targeted illumination
area.
6. A lighting system according to claim 1 wherein: said control
system is controlling a plurality of light assemblies by switching
them `ON` and `OFF`; or said control system is controlling the
motion of said singular light assembly with said carriage on said
rail maintaining direct view to said targeted illumination
area.
7. A lighting system according to claim 1 wherein: said control
system includes a plurality of input devices as receivers/sensors
tuned to and receiving signal from said emitter or said reflected
information vector.
8. A lighting system according to claim 1 wherein: said control
system also includes a controller logic with program for command
and control.
9. A lighting system according to claim 1 wherein: said control
system also includes output devices as servo-mechanism and motor
for motion control of said carriage or switching devices for
switching said plurality of light assemblies `ON` and `OFF`
independently.
10. A lighting system according to claim 1 wherein: said control
system's program using said input devices' input is determining the
direction and distance of motion of said carriage with said
singular light assembly; or said control system's program using
said input devices' input is selecting which of said plurality of
light assemblies is switched `OFF`.
Description
REFERENCES CITED U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
[0001]
1 3,702,928 November 1972 Alger 362/233 X 4,025,778 May 1977
Hayakawa 240/1.4 4,078,720 March 1978 Nurnberg 236/46 R 4,200,862
April 1980 Campbell et al. 340/825.07 X 4,288,844 September 1981
Fishet et al. 362/804 X 4,365,720 December 1982 Kaneshiro 211/87
4,578,575 March 1986 Roos 250/203 4,639,838 January 1987 Kato et
al. 362/33 4,709,412 November 1987 Seymour et al. 455/128 4,712,167
December 1987 Gordin et al. 362/233 4,728,949 March 1988 Platto et
al. 340/825.37 4,817,203 March 1989 Tsurumoto et al. 455/603
4,826,059 May 1989 Bosch et al. 211/DIG. 1 4,890,207 December 1989
Jones 362/233 5,010,459 April 1991 Taylor et al. 362/233 X
5,031,082 July 1991 Bierend 362/233 X 5,038,261 August 1991 Kloos
362/286 5,060,124 October 1991 Crispin et al. 362/804 X 5,068,767
November 1991 Koyama 362/33 5,072,216 December 1991 Grange 362/233
X 5,093,769 March 1992 Luntsford 362/804 X 5,189,412 February 1993
Mehta et al. 340/825 5,294,915 March 1994 Owen 340/539 5,526,245
June 1996 Davis et al. 362/233
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
[0002]
2 2449994 September 1980 France 0014536 January 1985 Japan
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Shadowless lighting systems are used in medical procedure
rooms, dental offices, labs, clean-rooms and many other areas. In
all these applications it is required a local illumination of a
certain, geometrically well-defined, area.
[0004] Prior arts are either a single- or a multiple-light
assembly, controlled by different type of controls. These controls
need human intervention, what is not always available. The
invention is suitable to both of the assembly types, single or
multiple lights, making human intervention unnecessary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The invention is directed to eliminate human intervention in
shadowless illumination systems and to create optimal lighting
conditions.
[0006] For a better understanding of the working principles of the
invention, it is better to analyze first the purpose of the
invention.
[0007] The primary purpose of the invention is to illuminate a
defined/target area, without having a disturbing shadow over this
specific area.
[0008] Shadow, thru definition, means usually a less illuminated
area bordered by a more illuminated area. It is the most
disturbing, when the less illuminated area is in the primary visual
field--which is the work area too--, and the more illuminated area
is in the secondary visual field. The optimal situation is when the
primary visual field is better illuminated than the secondary
visual field.
[0009] Shadow is created usually, when between the light source and
the target area interposes an object. This object can be the head
of a surgeon or dentist, and cannot be controlled in his moves,
neither restricted, due the importance of their activity. So, it is
necessary for the system to react to different situations, for
self-corrections, to be smart.
[0010] To eliminate shadow in a certain target position, as
analyzed above, it is necessary to make sure, that the primary
visual field--the target area--is better illuminated than the
secondary visual field--the unimportant area.
[0011] To achieve this, there are 2 solutions:
[0012] 1. Dynamic--to move the lamp, so there is no obstacle
between the light-source and the target.
[0013] 2. Static--to turn off the lamp what is actively creating
the shadow on the target area.
[0014] For single-lamp systems it applies the first solution.
[0015] For multiple-lamp systems there apply both solutions.
[0016] The invention's purpose is also to eliminate human
intervention in adjustments.
[0017] For a system to be able to react, it needs some inputs. The
inputs in the invention are the direct visual contact conditions
from the lamp(s) to the target area, information resulted from
targeting the object of illumination.
[0018] For this, there are 2 different procedures:
[0019] 1. Direct targeting, where an emitter (infrared, laser,
etc.) is placed directly on the target or in the very close
vicinity of the target and each lamp has his own
receiver(s)/sensor(s) used for validations.
[0020] 2. Indirect targeting, where the illumination area is
targeted with a laser-beam, or any other information vector, coded
or un-coded. The sensors from the lamps are reading that
information and the control logic is processing it.
[0021] The following examples will use a direct targeting
procedure. If direct targeting cannot be used because of different
reasons, indirect targeting will be used. That makes the system
more expensive, but still possible.
[0022] The number of motion axis and of features determines the
number of receivers on each lamp.
[0023] Other component to be determined in the invention is the
optimal geometry.
[0024] For a minimal configuration, because of cost and reliability
reasons, it is necessary to keep all the time the lamp(s)
perpendicularly oriented towards the same spot and to keep the same
distance to the target area. That makes additional tilt and
focusing mechanism unnecessary.
[0025] The theoretical geometrical area equidistantly defined to a
single point is a sphere. In this case, the minimal, is a circle or
an arch of a circle, with the target as center. Any mechanism, once
mounted and oriented towards the center, if it is moved along that
circular trajectory is keeping his orientation and distance to that
center point.
[0026] So, for the most efficient configuration, the rail will have
a circular geometry.
[0027] Instead the use of a rail, it is also possible the use of a
rotating arm for dynamic applications.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0028] An example solution for the static shadowless illumination
system is presented in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4.
[0029] An example solution for the dynamic shadowless illumination
system is represented in FIG. 5 to FIG. 8.
[0030] FIG. 1 is a general view of a static multiple-lamp
system.
[0031] FIG. 2 is a general view of a static multiple-lamp
system.
[0032] FIG. 3 is a front view of the light-assembly of a static
multiple-lamp system.
[0033] FIG. 4 is a general view of the light-assembly of a static
multiple-lamp system.
[0034] FIG. 5 is a general view of a dynamic single-lamp
system.
[0035] FIG. 6 is a general view of a dynamic single-lamp
system.
[0036] FIG. 7 is a front view of the light-assembly of a dynamic
single-lamp system.
[0037] FIG. 8 is a general view of the light-assembly of a dynamic
single-lamp system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0038] In all drawings:
[0039] 1--emitter target area/work zone
[0040] 2--obstacle, shadow creating object
[0041] 3--invalid light/position
[0042] 4--valid light/position
[0043] 5--light/lamp
[0044] 6--validation sensor light
[0045] 7--direction sensor right
[0046] 8--direction sensor left
[0047] 9--rail.
[0048] The static solution for the shadowless illumination system
is represented in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.
[0049] The target area can be marked directly or indirectly. The
emitter 1 is used to mark directly the target area. The obstacle 2
is blocking the visibility for lamp 3, the fact is sensed by the
sensor 6, what is turning the lamp 5 off. The other lamps, in
position 4 have a visibility on 1, so they are on.
[0050] The lamps are mounted on the rail 9 and they are oriented
and focused on 1.
[0051] The dynamic solution for the shadowless illumination system,
with a single-axis motion control, is showed in FIG. 5, FIG. 6,
FIG. 7 and FIG. 8.
[0052] The target area can be marked directly or indirectly. The
emitter 1 is used to mark directly the target area. The obstacle 2
is blocking the visibility for lamp 3, the fact is sensed by the
sensor 6, 7 and 8. The sensors, together with an internal control
logic, are controlling a bi-directional motor mounted inside the
lamp's housing. This motor is moving the lamp along the rail in
such a manner, that the lamp is moved out from the shadow zone. The
sensors 6, 7 and 8 are determining the sense of motion. The optimal
position for a single-lamp system is out of the shadow zone, but
still as close as possible to the operator's head.
[0053] Implementing a positive logic on sensor 8 and a negative
logic on sensor 6 and 7, the lamp assembly will be situated all the
time in the very close proximity of the shadow zone, actively
following it. It is recommended the use of limit switches at the
ends of the rail, if it is not fully circular.
[0054] The examples above are describing technical solutions using
direct targeting. If direct targeting is not possible, indirect
targeting will be used.
[0055] The systems described above are not strictly defined, they
are just examples.
[0056] There are multiple solutions for the same purpose, not all
have been presented.
[0057] It should be understood that the invention is not intended
to be limited by the specifics of the above described embodiments,
but rather defined by the operating principles.
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